Obama's ceremonial first pitch at the All-Star game barely reached the plate Tuesday night. St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols helped the president, moving up on the plate and reaching out to scoop the toss.

Obama had warmed up on the White House grounds Monday night, and was determined his pitch would reach the plate on a fly.

"Here they at least had me down in the batting cage practicing with Pujols," Obama said, referring to his first ceremonial pitch before Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS.

"We did a little practicing in the Rose Garden," he said during a half-inning with the FOX broadcasters.

Wearing a Chicago White Sox jacket, jeans and sneakers, and cheered by the sellout crowd at Busch Stadium, Obama walked out of the National League's dugout on the first-base side, shook hands with Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial and trotted to the mound.

From right on the rubber, 60 feet and 6 inches away, Obama wound up and bit his lip as he let go. The left-hander grimaced slightly, and gave a fist pump when Pujols -- a Gold Glove first baseman -- made the neat grab.

Obama became the latest Chicago hoopster to try his hand at baseball. Like Michael Jordan, the president looked more natural in his other job.

The All-Star game capped off a big sports outing for the president. He began the day by greeting Wimbledon champion Serena Williams at the White House, then picked up Hall of Famer Willie Mays in Michigan for the flight to St. Louis.

Asked what advice he gave Obama, the Say Hey Kid said: "Follow through."

George W. Bush was noted for his particularly impressive first-ball throws. Then again, baseball was in his background as the former owner of the Texas Rangers.

Earlier Tuesday, Obama talked about his upcoming pitch.

"You know, my general strategy the last time I threw a pitch was at the American League Championship Series and I just wanted to keep it high. Now, there was no clock on it, I don't know how fast it went -- but if it exceeded 30 miles per hour, I'd be surprised. But it did clear the plate," he said.

Like at that 2005 playoff game, Obama got the job done. It probably helped, too, that he practiced Monday night on the White House grounds with personal aide Reggie Love.